A Journey to the Southern Deserts
by Abbad
Summary: "Real story" of a bunch of young brothers traveling though the vast lands of Azeroth.
1. Chapter 1: A Journey Begins

Hi. My name is Abbad! I like writing very much, and I am, along with my brothers, are fans of WoW, that's why I have decided to combine both those hobbies in this story! It worth notifying that this, although being written as a story, comprises a "true events" of my adventures in WOW's Moonguard realm along with two of my brothers.

Please note that English isn't my native language, so I am sorry for any shortage in terms and expressions. I would appreciate feedback so much as this's my first experience in writing fan-fiction.

Have a nice reading!

First chapter: The Beginning of a Journey:

At first, it might be necessary to introduce you to our company. Of course, we gonna start with me! My name is Abbad, I am a hunter, but please don't misunderstand me, even though I am a hunter, but I don't really hunt; because _hunting would imply the possibility of failure_. I hunt with my amazing pet, the raptor reck, which I've picked few years ago in a trip through the wetlands (a story I might tell you later). I have also a long practice of geography, and at some point, my long passion for this field made me the geographer of the family. I was raised in the countryside of Stormwind, the white city, where I was lucky to get trained on the skills of combat since my tender age. The reason for this was the fact that my father served in the kingdom army, that didn't last for long though, as he died in my childhood while fighting the foul_ Defias brotherhood_ in the plains of Westfall.

I have two brothers as well; Sinan and Sariya. Sinan is our tank, he is a warrior, he has many unique skills in combat, he's also the most knowledgeable of us in trade matters, since he lived for years on the craft of buying & selling precious artifacts. On the other hand, Sariya is a descent priest, he is our healer, he's always there to save the day in the bad times when we've lost all hope! Both of them were raised away from me in the huge passages of Ironforge, because our mother lived there, but later we have met and became a great company. At last, there is Sariya's wife, Raghad, she is a warlock from from Stormwind, and have saved us in many dangerous battles, but she rarely comes with us in our long trips.

Aged mid 30s, me and my brothers, at the time this story events occurred, were still young and rash with a big thirst of gold. Our life was centered around money, and it's almost the only thing we could talk about, especially that we will be able soon to enter the riding academy (extortionate costs) and buy a bunch of new much faster horses to ride through the vast lands of Azeroth.

Once when we were in a trip to the wetlands, we ran into a caravan heading west, to the harbour. We figured out from talking with the traders leading it that they were on their way to Southern Kalimdor, where, as they told us, lied one incredibly big and remote seaport being controlled by the Goblins. According to them, the Goblins there had an enormous number of special artifacts which could never be found anywhere else in Azeroth; it's a stuff that can be sold with highest prices in the markets of the eastern kingdoms. Later, I have searched long in the central library of Stromwind about this amazing city, until I knew that they was talking about the distant desert of Tanaris, and its famous port of Gadgetzan.

Being the geographer and cartographer of the family, I was the one who had to plan for the trip and its path. Sinan and Sariya were amazed with the possible profits we might gain from the journey, and immediately accepted the plan that I have suggested, not realizing the trouble we might have to go though to do this. Honestly, I didn't insist on elaborating much about this point to them. Raghad refused to come with us, as she found that it was an unreasonably long trip, so we left our precious belongings with her in Stormwind, and packed our things for our long adventure.

A month later, most of the necessary preparations for our journey were made up, and we were fully ready for departure. Early at the morning, we bid farewell to our friends and relatives at the white city, and crossed the bridge of the capital, looking behind at the high towers of Stormwind castle with a sad feeling in our hearts. It maybe the last time we were predestined to see the walls of this great city.


	2. Chapter 2: Heading South

Before we can set sail to Kalimdor, we had first to get to the edge of the continent: to the famous harbour of Booty bay. And the way along to there wasn't an easy one.

We started walking, riding our hourses with our pets, heading to the woods of Elwyn. After one hour, we were at the unmissable inn of Goldshire, the most well-known inn of the whole continent, if not in the whole of Azeroth. However, we decided not to stop and to suspend that to the next inn, as there were hundreds of people of all races and kinds crowding in the little village, which made even crossing the place straightway a merely possible task.

After leaving Goldshire, we took the main road to its end, then after some discussions we chose the western road. It was also possible to go east until the edge of redbridge, so we can cross the river at the triple road to the dark forest. Even though, I have preferred to take the shortest way through that cursed forest, so we went west.

After few hours, we arrived to the Elwyn western defense-line, the Castle of Westbrook Garrison. We have preferred to spend the night there, because there were no rest spots anymore until we are in Westfall, the western plains.

Second day, we have travelled long through the fields of wheat and passed dozens of abandoned farms. However, we found no human beings there at all, excluding few strange-looking people who refused to talk to us and, just when they saw us, they always escaped as fast as they could to their farms. The place, absolutely, wasn't looking quite nice.

Those farms were, in the ancient times, under the protection of Stornwind's kingdom and its mighty army. However, a long series of unrests and revolts led by westfall's own people succeded in driving it mostly out of Stornwind's control. Even though the locals thought this was for their own good, the final results weren't pretty satisfying, as the region now is torn apart by civil wars and local conflicts led by factions similiar to the Defias brotherhood. Nowadays, what once was a land of great greenfields is a mere drought yellow barrens.

I was intending to see the sea of Westfall, because I have heared too much from the travelers about its magical beauty, however, my brothers refused, saying that the coastal road gonna waste a lot of time, and might be seriously dangerous one, being denesly inhabited by the Murlocs.

After a hard day, we were lucky to reach the outskirts of Sentinel Hill, the second largest city in Westfall, before the sunset, where we found one of few safe refuges in the vast deserted lands, being controlled by the honorable _Westfall brigade_. There was a long discussion about whether it was better to set our camp outside the city or to spend the night inside, but because of the many dangers liying outside in the area when the dark falls we have chose to go inside.

Next day I went with Saryia to the city's governer to thank him for housing us and to give him few routine reports from Westbrook, while Sinan was buying the supplies for our long journey through the dark forest of Duskwood. We left at the early morning, and continued our travel through the vast plains and deserted ranches, and at the noon we were able to see the southern mountain range, so we turned east in our march, trying to keep ourselves away from the troubles with the Defias rebels in Moonbrook, south of Westfall. At the afternoon we were at the edge of Duskwood, it was concerning for us that we will have to enter it late, but as it was more dangerous to suspend two nights there, we chose to cross as much of it as we can today.

Those deadly woods were once part of the green and shiny Elwynn forest, however, after the Scythe of Elune found its way here during the times of the third war, a terrible curse broke out across the land, destroying life and turning the woods into a foul home of undeads.

Maybe the most scaring part of our journey so far was Duskwood. It was a late hour of the day when we put our feet on that little bridge, passing it into a dark woods that doesn't looks like much of who enters it get out later. Of course, I had heared for too long numerous humors about this forest, but as they say "The one who hears is nothing like the one who sees".

After one or two hours of suffering, we have finally found that wrecked, ruined sign stating: "Raven Hill town, to this direction".

There was no morning next day, because in Duskwood, we don't have sun at all, but we assumed it was time to move on. The road was filled with sounds of bears and spiders, but we have luckily passed in peace, until we reached the night watch point at the triple road in the middle of Duskwood.

There, we have met the night watch guards at the post, it was stunning to see human beings in that deadly place. The guards told us it will take several hours from here heading south to get out of the forest, and encouraged us to sleep at the post. However, as soon as we heared "getting out of the forest" we weren't paying attention for anything else anymore, so we headed south directly. It was an amazing moment when we arrived to the southern mountains, and crossed the mountainous pass, to find a complex jungles in the light of the early morning.


	3. Chapter 3: Through the Deadly Vale

Between the hills and dense jungles of the great vale, the little roofs of a few straw huts had shown up. That was the rebel camp at the northern outskirts of Stranglethorn jungles, where we had a nice rest between our allies, and an amazing time with the men of the camp. However, those moments were too different from what was coming next.

At the early hours of the morning, we decided to leave the camp and start our journey through the forest. I had a good conversation with the leader of the camp before heading up, as he was telling me few things about how the journey should go; he insisted and repeated hundreds of times that we should merely stick to the main road, and any other ideas wouldn't be good ones at all. He told me about a great ruined city in the east, which used to be the great capital of the trolls' Gurubashi Empire, however, it was laid to wreck after their internal civil war centuries ago, and nowadays, numerous dangers hides between the remains of the great city. Other dangers were lying in the far west as well, at the cost of the great sea; there, a great similar-ruined troll city and a very large Horde camp were guarding most of the beach.

The best possible route, he proposed, was heading south and crossing the river, then rounding in an bow and crossing it once again further south. He warned us; "Don't take the western road, stick to the river side", and repeated insistly "Don't take the western road". After we cross the river, we will find a split way, however, we must, as always, only stick to the main road "NEVER leave the main road, whatever happens, just DON'T".

We went on, packed our items and got moving once again, hardly opening our way through the dense shrubs. I really wanted to make a visit to the outstanding ruins of the trolls great cities who once ruled the whole vale with an iron hand, however, after all those warnings, Sarya and Sinan wouldn't allow me to do that in a hundred years.

Surprisingly, we were attacked on the main road for the firs time; a big black leopard jumped from the trees and headed directly at me. Immediately, I ordered Reck to leap on the attacker, then I took my arrow and made a fire spell. Sariya went on to defend the raptor by his healing magic, while Sinan was preparing the defensive spells. "Hold on, Reck!" I screamed hardly, asking my pet to stand until Sinan can come and take the course of the battle. The leopard was a very large and strong one, and my raptor was barely able to keep him few feets away from us, he couldn't engage in a direct battle with that scary beast; Reck just tried to make fast warning strikes, avoiding the leopard's attacks. I kept my arrow, wondering whether I should throw it, threatening to hit my pet, or just leave him in the danger alone. It were extremely hard moments, but luckily, the leopard pulled few feets back, preparing himself for another attack, and that was just the golden chance; I left my arrow to be carried by the wind, heading directly to the chest of the beast, and burning fire inside his body.

As soon as the arrow hit the leopard, Reck retreated fastly, just like a son returning to his father after facing a very bad position. I dabbed on his head, trying to encourage the little scared boy: "Well done, Reck! Take a rest, we will continue from here".

In the meantime, the leopard was screaming and wailing from his pain, however, he was still very strong. The leopard got ready for another attack, straining his back and advancing his legs, I was scared, but this time was different, as Sinan is ready now. As soon as the leopard tried to move, Sinan came in his way and lift his shield, then engaged in a strong battle, while Sariya was supporting him with his healing spells. The leopard tried to retreat; he realized finally that this isn't his day, however, it was too late, as the sword of Sinan was already pointing at his head. In few moments, the head of the beast was cut, and the blood was sheded all around the place. The birds flew away, and the jungles were drown again into the quiet.

We crossed the river for the first time early at the morning, walking on a seriously old wooden bridge. As we crossed, we saw on our left some vast deforstated spaces from the vale, we figured out later that we were looking at the camp of the Venture company, where the recent intruders from goblins have been recently looking for tumbled crystals. I wanted to make a visit and have few talks with them about the great city of Gadgetzan, however, I'd to stick to the old man's advice.

As we got deeper in the jungles, there were more occasional attacks of wild beasts, much more than we had in any other part of the journey, but together, we were able as a team to repel most of them without casualities. At the end of the day, we had luckily crossed the river again and hopefully for the last time. Now, it will be several hours until we reach the Fort Livingstone camp, at the middle of the cape.

The outskirts of the camp finally showed up. However, another thing rose out of the horizon; The Sundering, the great vortex that divided stranglethorn vale upon the rise of the cataclysm. We stood there, and watched the fantastic view of that vortex; here where we stand, the continent was divided by a great disaster, still leaving its impressive marks on this land until this very moment. It was totally astonishing.

We had an unusual calm night at the camp, where we got a rest and had a nice time with the Alliance guards under the moonlight. Next morning, we moved on back to the jungles, crossing the side of the sundering, and entering the Cape of Stranglethorn.

We tried to move quickly then, because as we got deeper in the jungles, the dangers increased unreasonably. We had dozens of battles with wild beasts, even though we were still sticking to the main road's advice. Sadly, we couldn't visit the great arena, as we were running out of time, since going through the vale took already much more than we had initially thought.

The land got lower and lower as we entered the Mistvale valley, to become filled with the scary gorilla yells and dense vegetation. Finally, numerous hills closed the way, we sighed deeply, as we've already got to the safe part of the road. After crossing a short tunnel through the mountains, we'll end up at a great city, and actually at one one of the greatest seaports in entire Azeroth.


End file.
